Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-05-05
DAKIN EXPELLED.
Conclusion of the Trial of Representa-
tive Dakin.
The Proceedings In Detail.

VI LOT TndlIodSunct anu
misfeasance, venal and corrupt conduc
in Office, in soliciting and extorting mon
ely for procuring the passage OF the Sagi-
nav City charter bill.
The proceedings were opened as usual
with prayer, after which the trial proper
articles against him were read,
then a revision Of them was offered
which differed from the original
only in the omission of the word
nunlawfully" in characterizing Mr..
Dakin's actions. After the reading OF the
charges, the sergeant-at-arms summoned
the accused to come from his seat and
take place before the bar of the house.
Mr.. Dakin came forward and took a seat
beside his counsel, Judge Van Zile of
Charlotte, Judge Holden of Saginaw, and
Frank c. Dodge of Lansing.
Astruggle among the lawyers commenced
at once. Judge Holden requested bill OF
particulars, giving the specific time,
amount and place where the alleged solicit
taJion for money took place. After much
sparring the request for particulars was
voted down by large majority, showing
the disposition OF the house to steer clear
of fron-ciad rules. Mr.. Goodrich of OF
tawa opened the case with an outline OF
what the prosecution expected to prove.
With much feeling he said that, although
he mourned the fact, the prosecution
would establish that Dakin had committed
n misfeasance and IN llfeasance in Office.
They would show not only that Dakin had
said his colleagues were corruptible, and
had solicited money with which to buy
them, but that he had lied in attempting
to shield himself He had claimed that he
wanted this money TO feast his colleagues,
hut it would be shown that he intended to
put the money in his own pocket: This
action had disgraced the house and put a
stain on it which years alone could wipe
out
In reply to the opening address of Mr..
Goodrich the defense put in general
denial of the charges when Frederick il.
Eaton. who filed the charges against
Dakin, took the stand. and testified that
he met Dakin in the orridor Of the capital,
who told him that money mad to be rails I'd
to put the Saginaw bill through: that the
committee was all right but that some OF
the members had TO be bought, and that
such proceedings were all right. He met
Dakin short time after, in company with
Representatives Fellows and Crowley. As
to the conversation at this meeting Mr..
Eaton said: said, NOW tell me exactly
what is wanted. Mr.. Dakin, to secure the
passage of our bill" He answered, AS
told you before. we must have money /
asked, Can you, then, get favorable re
port from the committee Yes he said,
If we have enough money He continued,
we were out last night with seven OF the
boys and we got four of them solid Then
Fellows spoke up and said he had never
promised any money. He h left home
with So, and IL was used up. Finally i asked
Dakin how much money was needed, and
he answered that he would have to make
a canva of the members lie said, III we
go to a member and promi him money,
and then don't have il with us to pay him
at once, we won't be likely to get him. |
asked, is this prudent oh, yes, he said
you need not be known: you give the
money to Fellows, and I'll manage the
rest Dakin went on TO explain that there
were "a g. A. K. members, He would see
n certain number of them and arrange the
amount of purchase. and then Fellows
would see them. | asked. is it usual to
buy these membersr and he answered. OF
course il is Who are those men' |
asked He mentioned two members whose
names i have forgotten; then | thought
of roll call in my pocket, and said,
Here mark off meml ers that you say
will have TO be seen. He took
the roll call and marked off the names
and amounts on that list which l sent to
the speaker with the charges
With the great st detail Mr.. Eaton told
the manner in which Dakin had checked
off the names of the members to be pur-
chased. Dakin had first checked off names
without putting down the amount Of
money, but on further request he put
figures. The total amounted to Sl25
When Rumsey's name was reached Dakin
said: "1'here'sa man that I'll have to give
S25 tor Crowly said: "I've met Rumsey
-
rant dinner bell sounded then, and we
turned To go. Dakin put the roll call in
his pocket, but i said. LET me see that
roll again. He handed it to me and
put it in my pocket. While we were talk
ing l took a drink of whisky and Dakin
took some sour wine. Crowley and Eel
lows each drank whisky.
The cross examination of Eaton was
long and tedious. and seemed to serve no
purpose further than to strengthen the wit
fna ll.a hat h..h had
been a member of the New Hampshire
legislature. The lawyers for Dakin then
made a somewhat vain attempt to show
that Eaton was influenced by political
animosity.
Repre- sentative Rumsey of Ingham was
the next witness called. He was present
in the SPEAKERS room on the 10th of April,
with a number of gentlemen. Mr.. Dakin
was sent for and made certain statements
which were taken down in writing. Mr.
Rumsey said the members in the Speakers
room felt somewhat indignant, but ex-
pressed no feeling against Dakin or If they
did it was in n quiet and subdued way.
On the morning of the second day of the
Dakin trial, proceedings commenced with
the examination of Jay Smith. Mr.. Smith
said that he was druggist and had re
sided in Saginaw City for thirty five
years. On the 18th of the present month
he came from Saginaw and met Messrs.
Eaton. Fellows and Dakin, between whom
conversation occurred in relation to the
Saginaw charter. Dakin told Mr.. Eaton
that nothing would be done on the charter
business that day. He stated that he ex-
pected Mr.. shackelton would fetch some
money with him, but he only brought a
little. He had given him some but it did
not amount to anything, it was all gone.
Mr.. Eaton then asked him what he wanted
wanted to use it in getting the charter bill
passed by the house. Mr.. Eaton asked
HIM what the trouble was, whether there
was any difficulty with the committee
or whether he wanted to use the
money with the members of the
house. His answer was that he wanted
TO use il with the members of the house.
Mr.. Eaton asked him if he meant to be
understood that there were legislators
who votes could be obtained by the use
of money. His answer was, "Of course"
On cross-examination Mr.. Smith said that
Dakin did not state how much money
Shackelton had given him.
David Crowley, who was examined by
Mr.. Goodrich, testified that he had resided
in Saginaw City twenty one years and
now kept hotel there. He was interested
in the passage of the Saginaw charter bill
and came to Lansing four times on bust
ness connected with il, the last time on
the 18th of April. On the corner of Wash
ington and Michigan avenues he met Mr..
Fellows and Mr.. Dakin coming from the
capitol. He asked how things looked for
the charter and Dalsin said things looked
good but there would be nothing done TO.
day, as Shackleton and Linton had gone
to Saginaw.
The examination of Mr.. Crowley
was very tedious, and was the
occasion of considerable sparring
between the lawyers. On cross examina-
ton witness said that IL he had under
stood that any bribery was intended he
would have rebuked It, but as fact he
did not rebulse Dakin's course. He did
not think Dakin meant any harm. He had
no impression or inference that Dakin